No More Mr Yeye

South Africa caught a glimpse of what has been going on behind the scenes in the Bok camp...Jake White was almost out the door, when Yeye - jumping the gun - started pushing his weight around. You get a sense that he excels in telling others - tactlessly - what they should do. He gets a kick out of elevating himself above the team, rather than being part of something special. Obviously he isn't.

And he should know better - he doesn't have much weight to push around, whether he is backed by a Presidential choir singing 'Transformation' or 'Silent Night', or not. The bottom line is, either you support the sport called rugby, or you're there for other reasons:
- to stroke your own ego
- to solve the issues of the past by spiting those around you
- to enrich and reward yourself
- to seek attention
- other selfish motives

Pick one Mr Yeye, pin it to your shirt, and then please leave. No, not through the same door Mr White exitted through. The back door. And please leave quietly.

Springboks Interviewed at Newlands Stadium (VIDEO)

Bok Parade Today (MAP)

Joburg Route (POST LUNCH)

13h15 Arrival at Sasol office complex; team lunch

14h15 Team heads for Johannesburg CBD, past Absa HQ in Rissik Street
Proceed through CBD towards M1 South
Takes the N12 (Bloemfontein) highway until the N3 (Pretoria) highway
Proceed in the direction of Pretoria until William Nicol off-ramp
Right into William Nicol and proceed for approx 2.5 km
Right into Montecasino Boulevard

16h30 Squad arrival at Montecasino
17h00 Supersport Special Victory show start
18h00 Supersport show ends

Graphic from here.

RWC Joke

The Springboks were playing England, and after the half-time whistle blew they found themselves ahead 56-0, Brian Habana getting eight tries. The rest of the team decided to head for the pub instead of playing the second half, leaving Habana to go out on his own. “No worries,” Habana told them, “I’ll join you later and tell you what
happened.” After the game Habana headed for the pub where he told his team-mates the final score: 95-3. “What!!!!” said a furious John Smit, “How did you let them get three points??!” Habana replied apologetically, “I was sent off with 20 minutes to go.”

NVDL: Interesting fact: tomorrow is 2010 (20 October). A World Cup game in lieu - datewise - of another World Cup Game.

How To Greet An Englishman (JOKE)

England's practice was suspended yesterday - for 2 hours - when a white substance was discovered on the field. Scotland Yard was brought in to investigate. After some analysis they identified the 'white powder' as the try line. Play was allowed to resume on the basis that the team were unlikely to encounter this substance again, in the near future. [NVDL: Heard this on 94.7 this morning:-D]

SASOL Springbok AD (TJDR VIDEO)

Juan Smith Praises God After Stint in Sin Bin

Juan Smith is a hard as nails oke. He once worked as a bouncer in Bloemfontein, but his bread and butter is still moering people.

He's a good player, and he's a Cheetah, but I don't know why - it irks me when these guys (Danie Rossouw did it to when he was awarded Man of the Match) get airtime and the first thing they do is 'praise the Lord'. Can't you guys do that on hands and knees before you go to bed, you know, like, in private.

Posturing in Public

I think the reason there's this public display, with a bit of spluttering, is because they are not used to or comfortable with praise and adulation, they're used to the arena. And thus to deflect criticism, and calm their own nerves, they call on God for moral support (and support in the sense of a moral backbone).

It may make sense to them, but I really think platforming and broadcasting your beliefs ought to be more private, and more humble. And in the context of rugby, it doesn't quite work does it? It's not a game based on love, but toughness, and the ability to tough it out. I thought that much was obvious.

Grandstanding

Today on the way back from lunch we walked by three or four peculiar gentlemen dressed in white and green tartan collared shirts, standing at the curbside in Rosebank, but looking really out of place. As we stepped past, one of them said: "Can we share with you about our glorious God? Will you accept him as your saviour?" "Er...Let me think about that: NO!"

Church Currie Cup

I have a suggestion though: A Church Rugby League. Soccer has it's PSL and MVELA, we've got the Currie Cup and Super 14, but why stop there? With so many Christian rugby players in our own rugby teams (Boks like Habana, Smith and Roussouw, the Blue Bulls etc) and even the international players (remember the Tongan and Fijian Faithful?), what we really MUST see is a battle of the denominations. That way everyone can wear their Jesus is King t-shirts, and may the best player...er...I mean PRAYER win. There can be a special service after the game - after all the moering - for the man of the match and the various captain's to humbly give thanks for the source of their strength and superior strategy. Fans can applaud them or lay hands on them at the same time. Ah men brother.

What The Poms Are Saying About the Final

"South Africa's victory in the semi-final was an odd one. At the end you were left wondering what they had done to win the match."

NVDL: That's a pretty ironic statement for a side of boa constrictors that know how to kick (sometimes), but don't know how to score tries.

The Springboks must be the best poachers in the world.

Two tries from intercepts! They were neither hard luck but rather clever positioning. After the match the Puma coach Marcelo Loffreda rued his side's errors. "We made a lot of errors and paid a high price for them."

Click here for more

From The Guardian.co.uk:

He was not to do that until stoppage time when the expected confrontation between two overtly physical sides finally manifested itself. Smith went to the sin bin for a high tackle followed by Felipe Contepomi for a backhander to the face of Bismarck du Plessis.

From Habana adds gloss to grit to set up England rematch